Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-19
PETERSBURG.
TWO RESIDENCES BURNED LOSSES
AND INSURANCE.
The Authority Of Military Olicers view
Fire Engine Arrived-DiscOvery Of
Iron 0re-lnsurance Suit.
Correspondence Of the Richmoni DlspAtchl


correspondence Of the Richmoni Dispatch
JANUARY Is, 1887.
Shortly before 9 o'clock this morning
the residence of Mr.. II. II. Elliott, on
High street, was discovered TO be on
fire. None of the family happened TO
be Mt home at the time, and the suppo-
sition is that the fire was the work OF
an incendiary On previous occasions
the family had two or three times been
awakened by midnight providers about
the premises, and had frightened them
away. On one Of these occasions an
effort to fire the building was prevented.
Mr.. Elliott's residence was burned 10
the ground, anil that adjoining, occu-
pied by Mr.. Moses II. Saal and owned
by Mr.. Charles A. jackson, WAS very
badly damaged. Owing to the lateness
Of the hour the fire had gained conside-
rable Roadway before the fire depart
ment received the alarm and could
reach the spot. Mr.. Saal was able to
save most of his furniture and personal
effects in good order, but nearly all Of
Mr.. ElbOtt's furniture was lost or ruin
ed Mr.. Saal has an insurance of
81 $50 on his furniture in the Peters
burg Savings and Insurance Company,
and Mr.. jackson has a policy of 81, 900
on the house in the same company and
81 500 in the Virginia Mutual, of Rich
mond. Mr.. Elliott has the following
policies on his house: Phoenix, of
brooklyn, n. Y, $500; Germania, of
New York, 1850: also, $500 Oh his fur
niturc in the Westminster, OF New
York.
In the matter of the military detail
sent by the commanding officer of the
II. +. Lee Battery to arrest an absent
member and enforce his attendance at
the companv's drill, the mayor this
morning discharged the parties who had
been arraigned before him on warrants
charging malicious trespass. The ease
has excited a good deal of interest, as
involving the right Of the officers to en-
force military discipline.
I he new steam ire-engine, the CITY
of Petersburg, made by the La Franc
Company, of Elmira, \. Y, reached
here to-day ria the Norfolk and West
crn railroad 1t was taken in charge by
the chief engineer and the Fire Com
mittec and placed in one of the engine
houses 1t is a handsome piece of me-
chanism, and its qualities and claims to
merit will be fully tested tomorrow.
The cost of the engine to the city is
about 1880, a portion of which will
be paid in exchange Of one Of orr old
steamers. The La Franc engine is
similar to those ordered by Richmond
and Portsmouth.
Captain John c. Griffin, of this city,
recently sold n farm in Dinwiddie
county, some fifteen miles distant from
town, to a gentleman from the North.
The present owner claims to have dis
covered fine bed of iron-ore on the
place, and the more he has dug and
prosecuted his search the better is he
satisfied of the value and quality of the
ore. Specimens of it have been eX-
amincd here and others sent North to
lie tested by specialists.
The cold wave descended upon us
with a suddenness rather unexpected
last evening, and during the night the
temperature fell fully twenty or twenty
five degrees. AT noon yesterday the
weather was mild; this morning the
ground was hard frozen, and wherever
water was exposed there was a thick
coat of ice.
Judge b. A. Hancock this morning
opened n special term of the Circuit
Court of Petersburg for the hearing of
several important cases. The irst case
called was that of Branch and others
against the Life Association of America
and others, involving insurance money.
The case has been deliberately argued
Ivy Messrs. John Lyon, of Richmond,
Judge r. II. Jones and w. r. McKen-
ney, of this city, for the plaintiffs, and
". 3. McIlwaine and II. b. Davis for
the defendants. The questions involved
in this suit are considered of great inn
pcrtancc to corporations and individuals
interested in life and other insurance.
4 decision will probably not be reached
before tomorrow. ROBIN ADAIB.